Fumbled (Playbook #2)(94)

The dimple reappears along with the creases around his eyes. “Lucky me.”

“We have a lot to talk about, TK,” I say, my tone serious. “You disappeared for a month. Do you understand how hard that was on Ace?”

And me? I think, but don’t say.

“I was scared. The last time I saw you, I fucked up.” His voice drops and lines I haven’t noticed before crease his forehead. Lines that show his age and pain. “I messed up with you and with Ace. Justin called me, telling me he had to hide Vonnie’s keys so she couldn’t come over and murder me.”

That makes me smile. Vonnie was almost as upset as I was and she let everyone know.

“And I knew you were right and I was fucking up, but I didn’t know why.” He takes a hesitant step toward me. “I stayed up all night looking up CTE. Reading about the early warning signs, watching interviews with older players, reading interviews from the widows of players who died.”

His voice hitches and it’s all I need to hear to close the rest of the distance between us. I take his hands in mine, hoping he accepts the only comfort I can offer.

“I found a clinic.” He links our fingers together, a small smile touching his lips. “I wasn’t sure it could work, but I stayed up all night trying to find success stories, and when I knew Donny would be up, I called him and had him get me in.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I try to fight back the frustration I feel. “I would’ve supported you.”

“I know you would’ve, but I was skeptical. I didn’t think it’d work.” He takes a deep breath that causes me to brace. “And if it didn’t, I thought you and Ace were better off with me out of the picture.”

“TK.” I close my eyes, feeling as if someone has shoved a knife into my heart. “That’s not true.”

“You don’t understand where my head was. I read all of these stories about men who were unrecognizable when they died. They became physically abusive, cheated on their wives, lost all their money. I didn’t want to do that to you and Ace.”

“But you’re here now,” I reply, stating the obvious.

“I’m here now.” The memories haunting his face fade away, leaving the green eyes I could live in staring back at me. “I feel better than I’ve felt in years. So I’m here.”

I take a deep breath and try to take a step back. Since he’s been so honest, I know I have to open up, too.

“I don’t want you to resent me.” I look at my shoes when TK doesn’t let me pull away. “First I come barging into your life, throwing a kid at you, then I forced you to leave your beautiful house to move into my tiny house, and now you quit football for me.”

“Stop.” TK wraps a hand around the back of my neck. “You didn’t make me choose.”

“I might not have told you to choose, but I forced your hand.” I close my eyes, guilt bringing me to the verge of tears.

TK drops his mouth to my ear and whispers, “Look at me, Sparks.”

I missed hearing him call me that more than I let myself admit.

“You didn’t make me choose and you didn’t force my hand.” He holds my face between his hands, wiping away the tears as they fall. “You just showed me what was important in life. You gave me the purpose I’d been trying, unsuccessfully, to find in football.”

“But you walked away from so much money.” I hiccup, sounding like a blubbering idiot.

“I have a great financial advisor who made sure I put most of my money away and invested wisely. Donny is good at his job, and after I signed my last contract, he had me put in place an eight-million-dollar disability insurance policy I’ll collect.” He smiles at me when my jaw drops open. “Plus, my house is worth more now than when I bought it, and I already have a buyer on the hook.”

“Holy crap.” There’s a lot to unpack. “You get eight million dollars for quitting?”

“Not quitting. Leaving the sport because I was injured.”

“Okay.” I shake my head, still stuck on the other thing he said. “You’re selling your house?”

“I hated that house, my mom pushed me into getting it.”

“I knew it!” I shout, interrupting him. “That house was so not you.”

“I know.” He smiles before dropping a quick kiss to my forehead. “And it’s too far from you guys. I found a house a few blocks from here. It’s got two extra rooms, a decent-size yard, and is close to Ace’s school.”

I blink.

“You . . . you what?”

“I found a house,” he repeats, cocking his head to the side and studying my face. “Is that not okay?”

I shake my head, trying to activate my brain again. “I mean, it’s fine. Is this place too small?”

Now it’s his turn to look confused.

“I didn’t think you’d want me back in after everything that happened.”

“What happened was you got hurt, listened to my fears, and got help.” I put my hands on my hips. “We love you and miss the hell out of you. Come back home.”

“You love me?”

“I already told you I love you!” I go to shove his chest again, but he grabs my hands instead, pulling me into him and wrapping my hands behind his back before dropping them.